Draft rigging



Nov. 7, 1933. J. E. IEcHoLs ET AL DRAFT RIGGING Filed Sept. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7, 1933. J. E. EcHoLs ET AL Nov.

DRAFT RIGGING Filed sept. 1v, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nev. l?, 1933 f were DRAFT RIGGING .lames E. Echols and Posey G. Stultz, Roanoke, Va., assigner-s' to The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application september 17, 1927 Serial No. 220,255

s claims. (o1. 21e-5o) This invention relates to draft riggingland, more particularly, to the construction of the yoke, associated combined baokstop and center ller casting, and rear follower.

The principal object of lour invention, generally considered, is to provide a draft rigging involving' a yoke with a curved rear end tting the correspondingly Ycurved front wall of an associated combined backstop and center iller casting, the lower wall of said casting` being formed to interlock \,-th an associated' center' plate, whereby longitudinal shifting thereof is obviated.

An obiect of our invention is to provide a center filler member with side walls adapted for connection to associated center sills and a bottom wall to which an associated center plate is connected, said bottom wall having depending lugs adapted to lie forwardly and rearwardly of said center plate and prevent longitudinal shifting thereof.

Another object of our invention is to provide a backstop casting adapted to cooperate with an associated yoke-the rear. end of which is preferablyV bent'into semi-cylindrical form, the

iront wall ofsaid backstop being correspondingly curved, a rear follower member being provided with a correspondingly curved rear wall fitting the curved portion of the yoke and a front wall adapte to engage associated cushioning mecha .isnt

A further object oi our invention is to provide a backs-top castin with a front bufne Wall supported by means of a substantially horizontal cross web extending between the side walls thereof, said cross web being reinforcedat its rear edge by an upwardly extending ilange and, intermediate the front and rear edges, by a depending flange.

An additional object of ourinvention is the provision of draft rigging embodying a horizontall yoke with a curved rear end associated with a rear follower or yoke filler through which curling forces may be directly transmitted to` an' asso- Figure 2 is Aa central vertical longitudinal sectional view of Figure l.

'Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure l looking inthe direction of the arrows. Y

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transversesectional view on the line of Figurey 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. y

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 5 5 of Figure 2 looking inthe direction Vof the arrows. v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan corresponding to Ypart of Figure l but showing another embodiment of our invention. n j g Figurey 7 is 4a central vertical longitudinal sectional view oi the embodiment 'illustrated in AFig-nV ure 6.

Figure Y8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 looking in the direction of Between the center sills l,y extendsV the draft rigging comprising a coupler `7,l a yoke 8, a front follower 9 and a rear follower 1G.' The coupler and yoke are sho-wny connected together by a front draft key l1 and connected to the sills l for the transmission of draft forces by a rear draft key` 12 which also supports the front fol-'- lower 9. Both of said draft keysextend through correspondingly slotted portions in the sills l, saidfsills being preferably reinforced by vcorrespondingly slotted cheek plates 13 through the corresponding slots in which the draft keys Vl1 vand 12' pass. The coupler illustrated is of vthe swivel 'butt type with a swivel block portion 14 pivoted. -to vthe butt of the main coupler 7 by means of a pivot pin 13', as will'be understood.

The front vfollower 91s,' as usual, providedwith couplerY centering lug 16, in this caseengaging'in'acorresponding pocket in the swivel vblock v14.` VThe rear portion of the yoke 8 preferably restson and is supported by angular members 17 formed with vertical langes connected'to the associated sills and with horizontal flanges underlying and supporting the respective arms of the yoke 8. Cushioning mechanism, indicated diagrammatically by dot and dash lines, is received between the arms of the yoke and front and rear follow rs 9 and 1G, respectively. In order to hold the rear follower in proper position, the same is preferably provided with outstanding flanges 10 overlying and underlying the curved portion of the yoke 8 whereby vertical displacement of said follower is obviated.

The draft keys 11 and 12 may be retained in any usual or desired manner but, in the present embodiment, I have shown them held in place by means of novel key retainers 18. Each key Y retainer preferably comprises an lupper flanged portion 19 preferably connected to the upper flange of the associated center sill by the common rivet 20 which serves for connectingr said center sill to the cover plate and flooring'of the car. In order to obviate the necessity of removing the rivet 20 and thereby disturb the lading when the car is loaded, when it is desired to remove the draft key, said key retainer 18 is preferably provided with a removable extension 21 which overlies the head of the key with which it is employed and which may be removed for the removal of said key by merely cutting the rivet or other connecting` means 22 between the upper and lower portions 19 and 2l, respectively.

The rear end of the yoke 8 is preferably bent into semi-circular or semi-cylindrical form and is adapted to engage the front face of an associated combined backstop and center flller casting 23. Said casting is provided with side walls 24 connected with the associated center sills 1 as by means of rivets 25 and formed with a front wall 26 curved to correspond with the curvature of the rear end of the yoke 8, whereby said yoke snugly fits thereagainst. For adequately reinforcing said front wall 26, an intermediate horizontal web 2'7 is provided extending rearwardly therefrom and joining the side walls 24 of the casting. The rear edge of said web 27 is reinforced by an upstanding flange 28 and a dependingY flange 29 is provided forwardly of the flange28 intermediate the same and the frontwall 26. Said front wall is preferably additionally reinforced by a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing vertical webs 30 which extend rearwardly to the flanges 28 and 29. The side walls 24 are preferably joined to the outer edges of the curved front wall 26 by means of diagonally disposed webs 3l.

The reark portion ofthe combinedcasting 23 is provided with a bottom wall, 32 to which the center plate 3.3 is adapted for connection as by means of rivets or the like'34. As additional means for preventing longitudinal shifting of the center plate, depending lugs 35 are provided extending forwardly and rearwardly of the center webs 30 heretoforedescribed, by `a central longitudinal web 39 extending from the flanges 28 and 29, flaring rearwardly to meet the `front lug, 35 and the uppernfianges 38, from whence it is continued at uniform height below said flanges tothe rear edge thereof, from where it tapers rearwardly to merge with the bottom wall of the casting. The lower edges of the sills l, along the sides of the combined casting 23, are reinforced by angle irons 40, the vertical flanges 4lfof which are connected to the sills 1 and lie between said sills and the side walls 24 of the rcasting and the lower horizontally extending flanges 42 of which underlie said casting, the bottom wall of which is preferably upwardly offset to receive the same.

Referring now to the embodiment of our inven tion illustrated in Figures 6, '7 and 8, a construction is there disclosed which is similar to that of the first embodiment except that the rear follower or yoke filler 10EL engages the backstop and center filler casting 23a directly upon rearward movement of the rigging instead of engaging merely the rear end cf the yoke which, inrturn, engages the combined casting. As in the previous embodiment, there are center sills 1su between which is connected a combined backstop and center filler casting 23L to which is attached the center plate 33a, the forward end of said casting involving a front wall 26e, the front face of which. is curved or pccketed to receive the corresponding curved rear end of the yoke 82. Said yoke is, as in the previous embodiment, supported adjacent its rear end by angular members 17a, vthat portion of the yoke and associated members forwardly of the supporting members 1"?a being as shown in Figures l to 5, inclusive, or of any desired construction.

The rear follower or yoke filler l()a is curved on itsrear face to t the curved end of the yoke but is provided with opstanding and' depending portions lfwhich are preferably provided with flat rear faces 44 adapted to engage corresponding stop portions Li5 disposed forwardly of the curved wall 26@L of the combined casting whereby engagement between the faces 44 and the stops 45 is effected prior to the engagement ofthe yoke 8a against the curved web 26n of the combined casting. The stop portions 45 are preferably reinforced by horizontal rearwardly extending webs 4S which preferably continue past the upper and lower edges of the curved web 2Ga and merge at their ends into the side walls 24 of the casting. The reinforcing webs 30a are formed with inclined free edges which extend from the extreme upper and lower edges of the stops 44 to the upper and lower edges of the reinforcing flanges or webs 28e and 29e, respectively. Except as specifically described in connection with the present embodiment, the same may correspond with that of the first embodiment. c

From the foregoing disclosure. it will be seen that we have devised a construction for railway draft rigging in which the center plate is securely retained in place with respect to a combined backstop and center illler casting by lugs extending `forwardly and rearwardly of said center plate,

the avoidance of substantially all forces on buff bodiment, by the upwardly and downwardly extending portions which extend transversely above and below said yoke. rlhe bufling face of the combined casting is supported by means of a crossweb which is, in turn, reinforced by upwardly and downwardly directed flanges. ProvisionV is made for centering the rivets connecting the combined casting with the sills by omitting the bottom wall 32 of the casting for a portion of the length thereof.

In the alternative construction, provision is made for relieving the rear end of the yoke from buing strains and transmitting' such directly through the rear follower or yoke ller to the backstop. Said backstop is preferably provided with a pocket or curved cut awayportion in the front face to prevent engagement of the yoke with the backstop prior to engagement of the rear follower therewith. The yoke filler is provided with a ilat front striking face with upper and lower at rear striking faces and a curved contour intermediate the upper and lower faces to cooperate with the rear end of the yoke. The backstop casting is preferably formed with upper and lower bridges extending between the sills and arranged to take the force from the upper` and lower flat faces of the rear yoke ller.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

l. In combinationgwith the center sills of a car, a center ller member connected therebetween, reinforcing Yangular members connected to said center sills on either side of said ller member and provided with lower inwardly extending legs underlying said center iiller member, lugs depending from the bottom of said ller member between said legs, and a center plate connected to the bottom thereof and lying between said lugs whereby the same is prevented rom shifting. Y Y

2. A combined backstop and center filler casting comprising side walls adapted for connection to associated center sills and a front wall adapted to receive bumng forces from an associated yoke, said casting being formed with a bottom wall adapted for connection with an associated center plate and provided with front and rear anchoring lugs adapted to extend forwardly and rearwardly of said center plate, said bottom wall being omitted from the front anchoring lug to the yoke engaging wall to provide apertures orcentering the rivets by means of which said casting is connected to the center sills.

3. In combination with railway vehicle sills,

a center ller member disposed therebetween and connected thereto, means connected to said sills on either side of said ller member and formed with anges extending toward each other and underlying said filler member for the support of the same, lugs depending from the bottom of said Iiller member between said supporting ilanges, and a center plate connected to the bottom of said .ller member and lying between said lugs.

4. A combined backstop and center hller casting comprising spaced side walls adapted for connection to associated sills, and a front wall formed with a pocket adapted to receive thev rear end portion of an associated yoke, said casting having a bottom wall provided with front and rear lugs adapted to respectively lie forwardly and rearwardly of an associated center'plate, said bottom wall forwardly of said front lug being :to lthe sills.

omitted tolfacilitateconnection of the side walls 5.*A Vcoinbin, d backstop and center filler casting comprisingV spacedside walls adapted for connection to associated sills, and an end Wall cylindrically'curved aboutV a normally vertical Yaxislto forni` apocket adaptedto nestingly yreceive the correspondingly formed rear end por-V tion of an associated yoke, said casting having a lower wall provided with front and rear lugs adapted to respectively lie forwardly and rearwardly of an associated center plate, a portion of said lower wall being omitted to facilitate connection` or the side walls to said sills.

6. An integral casting comprisingv a backstop portion and a center iller portion, said casting having side walls adapted for connection with associated center sills and the backstop portion comprising a front wall with a horizontally concavely curved front face vadapted to receive builing forces from a correspondingly curved end of an associated yoke, said wall lbeing reinforced by means of a generally horizontal web extending between the side walls and merging into said front wall, the center filler portion comprising a transversely extending generally vertical web adapted to normally lie on the vertical central plane of an associated bolster, said horizontally disposed web terminating at its rear edge in a bracing flange extending transversely of said casting and disposed forwardly of said transverse web, a plurality of generally vertical longitudinal webs on said horizontal web extending rearwardly from said front wall and terminating at said bracing flange, and a web extending between said bracing flange and transverse web. s

'i'. In combination with the center sills of a car, a combined backstop and center iiller member connected therebetween, a yoke mounted be-v tween said center sills and provided with a curved end adapted to be received adjacent the front face of the combined nller'member, said front iace, for that purpose, being pocketedfor receiving the end oi said yoke, the vertical surfacev dening said pocket being curved to correspond with the curvature of the yoke end, la rear yoke ller mounted adjacent the rear end of said yoke and formed with a correspondingly curved rear face engaging the curved portion of the yoke, a front face adapted to engage associated mechanism and provided with upward andv downward extensions beyond said yoke, said upward extension having laterally extending .portions overlying the arms of the yoke, said extensions and portions being provided with hat striking faces, and stop portions provided on the combined member above and below the pocket portion for engagement by the at striking portions on the rear of the yoke ller, said curved face on said combined ller `member being slightly spaced from said yoke rear end in normal assembly.

8. lIn combination with the center sills of a car, a combined backsiop and center ller casting connected therebetween, a yoke mounted between said sills, provided with arms, and having a curved end adapted to be received adjacent the front face of the combined ller member, said front face,` for that purpose, being pocketed for receivir'igA the end of said yoke, the vertical surface dening said pocket being curved. to correspond with the curvature of the yoke end, a rear follower mounted adjacent the rear end of said yoke and formed with a correspondingly curved and below the pocket portion for engagement' by the flat striking faces on the rear of the rear follower, said curved face on said combined filler casting being slightly spaced from said yoke rear end in normal assembly.

JAMES E. ECHOLS. POSEY'G. STULTZ. 

